The Curse of Blackmoor Manor
Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor is the 11th installment, released in 2004, in the popular Nancy Drew computer game series created by Her Interactive. The game puts the player in Nancy Drew's shoes, where they must solve the mystery. The game features 3D graphical environments, interviewing suspects, and solving many different challenges and puzzles. It has received the highest PSV rating out of all of the games to date in the series. In June 2006, Her Interactive released a DVD version of this game. Prologue Dear Ned, Greetings from jolly old England! Although right now I'm not so sure about the jolly part. That's because I'm on my way to Blackmoor Manor, where the daughter of one of our neighbors is living. The daughter whose name is Linda, recently married Hugh Penvellyn, a British diplomat. Hugh travels a lot, so the only people at the Manor with Linda are Hugh's aunt, Mrs. Drake and Hugh's twelve-year old daughter Jane. The thing is, ever since Linda moved into the Manor, her health has gone downhill. She's practically bedridden, and no one seems to know why. Her mother is convinced something is terribly wrong and wants me to find out what. So here I am about to be dropped off at a huge, centuries old mansion in the middle of a dark, foggy moor. I can't tell whether the butterflies in my stomach are because I'm excited or, just a tad creeped out. Talk to you soon (I hope)! Nancy Plot Summary Nancy arrives at the mysterious Blackmoor Manor, a massive mansion rising from the depths of a murky British bog in the middle of a desolate area. ''*WARNING* SPOILERS AHEAD *WARNING* Nancy's arrival, spooky things start happening right away - she hears a strange whisper that says her name and sees a huge pair of glowing red eyes staring at her through the night. Her fears are assuaged by the no-nonsense Mrs. Drake, who brings Nancy to her room. Nancy tries to talk to Linda, but she refuses to come out, lamenting with words that make no sense to the girl detective. Instead, Nancy meets up with another character - Jane Penvellyn. She is Linda's stepdaughter, and loves the supernatural world. She also has many games and puzzles in a hope chest in her room, and is excited for Nancy to become her new playmate. As Nancy explores the mansion, she also encounters Ethel Bosinny, an elusive woman who is Jane's tutor, and Nigel Mookerjee, who is working on a book about the Penvellyn family history. It isn't long before Nancy's inquisitive nature kicks in, and she discovers an old computer belonging to Jane's grandfather. He has equipped it with a strange "find-the-ghost" game, making Nancy dash about the mansion looking for glowing ghost cutouts when she enters the computer's password. She soon solves the puzzle and learns of a secret passageway in the Manor's East Hall. As the characters slowly begin to reveal their own dark secrets, Nancy talks to Linda. When she mentions that she found a secret passageway, Linda warns Nancy that "she'll be cursed, too!" Nancy pressures Linda into revealing that she found a secret passage of her own by playing around with a gargoyle in the hallway. Using the Penvellyn family crest, Nancy opens the passage in question and discovers a strange curse etched above a door. It says that whoever reads it will become the fabled "Beast of Blackmoor." By looking into the creature's history and snooping, Nancy discovers that Linda thinks she is turning into a werewolf. This may seem silly, but Linda has developed a huge appetite for raw steaks - and her arms are mysteriously hairy. Nancy delves deeper into the Penvellyn family history, and finds a rumor about a great treasure protected by the family. With the help of Jane and Loulou the Parrot, Nancy navigates the maze of hidden passageways deep within in the basement and finds a hidden Alchemy lab and forge. In order to unlock its secrets, Nancy must "reunite the elements four" of air, water, earth, and fire. Using an old journal containing the Penvellyn's past and some of her famous intuition, Nancy is able to do just that. In doing so, she forges a unique key that releases the fabled treasure. The treasure also summons Jane to meet up with Nancy. The end is resolved in the familiar way of Nancy writing home and tying up all loose ends of the case, explaining the culprit's motives and how they got away with it all. Then, as usual, a sneak peek into her next adventure is revealed. Epilogue Dear Ned, Well, there is a Beast of Blackmoor - Jane. She made poor Linda think she was turning into a monster by putting her uncle's hair restorer in Linda's moisturizer. She also slipped Mrs. Drake's allergy pills into Linda's food so she'd feel woozy all the time, an EXTREMELY dangerous thing to do. Needless to say, Jane's father was very upset, especially when he found out Jane had done it because she still wants him and her real mother to get back together. After Jane apologized to Linda and Hugh apologized to the both of them, they all resolved to do. Whatever it takes to become a real family. As for Blackmoor Manor, ever since I told him about all the passageways and gadgetry I'd discovered, Hugh has become fascinated with his family history, and has asked - no, ordered - Ethel to teach him what he's taught Jane. And while he doesn't believe for a second that the meteorite in that old alchemy lab has magical powers, he has encouraged Jane to come up with a puzzle to ensure it's safe-keeping, just as initiates have been doing for centuries. Which reminds me, the Penvellyns swore me to secrecy when it comes to all their traditions, so don't tell anybody any of this, okay? Nigel suspected something was up when he came to get his laptop and has been hounding me ever since. This is just the kind of stuff he'd love to include in that unauthorized tell all he's trying to write. If he calls me one more time, I'm telling on him. To Mrs. Drake. That'll teach him. Ever yours, Nancy *SPOILERS END HERE* Characters '''Linda Penvellyn' - A newlywed woman, who is hides behind bed curtains all day. She refuses to communicate or see anyone, with the exception of a few occasional words. She believes that she is turning into a werewolf due to a curse in a secret passageway. Jane Penvellyn - A young, attention-deprived 12-year-old girl obsessed with the supernatural, astronomy, and her family's mysterious history. She loves playing games such as Bul and Constellation Match-up, and is excited at Nancy's arrival, so that the two of them can play games. Her birth parents are divorced. Mrs. Drake - A strict woman who spends her days tending plants in the manor's conservatory. While she may seem uptight, she has a powerful belief in the supernatural world. However, if Linda departs from the mansion, a clause in her father's will would give her half of the mansion's property. Nigel Mookerjee - A strangely secretive and jumpy historian, determined to write a chronology of the Penvellyns. He would like to be Jane's tutor but Hugh Penvellyn insisted on hiring Ethel to continue the Penvellyn tradition. Ethel Bosinny - Jane's strict and somewhat unpleasant tutor. Her family, the Bossinys, have been the tutors for the Penvellyns for generations, and Ethel says that she likes to continue that tradition. She is conversationally odd and engages in some mysterious rituals with Jane in the Great Hall at midnight. Ned Nickerson - Nancy's boyfriend; Ned is an unseen character who can be called by cellphone. Mrs. Petrov - Linda's mother, also an unseen character who can only be reached by cell phone. She is worried and desperate for a solution to her daughter's illness. Hugh Penvellyn - Jane's father. An unseen character, Hugh can be called using the telephone in Nancy's room. Loulou - An intelligent 80-year-old parrot who gives hints and loves "yummy cakes." Tommy Tucker - A cook who owns a pub. You can order food from him using the telephone in Nancy's room. Quotes "Close but no marshmallow" - Nigel Mookerjee "Oh! You startled me. What were you doing in there?" - Ethel Bossiny "There are some doors that should never be opened. There are doors that hold secrets which must never be known. That's everything you'll need to know. Now if---" - Linda Petrov Penvellyn "Hi! You must be Nancy! I'm so glad you're here! I'm Jane!" - Jane Penvellyn "Uh-oh. Not good. Stay away! Stay away!" - LouLou. "You may have the run of the house, but do not break anything." - Mrs. Drake Trivia *This is the first ND game set outside of the United States. *First and, so far, only ND game to have a DVD version. *First time Bess & George are unavailable for hints. An email from them, on Nancy's phone, says they're at sailing camp. *Clicking on the teeth in Jane's room ten times gets you an Easter Egg. *Portrait of "Corbin" in the Great Hall is really John Locke, 17th century philosopher. *The decorative gargoyle on the right side (inside) of Jane's bedroom door blinks sometimes when you leave. References to other games: *The lion's head in the conservatory is the same one in the garden in Treasure In The Royal Tower. *Semper ubi sub ubi is in The Secret Of The Scarlet Hand. It means "Always wear underwear". *The Bul Game is in The Secret Of The Scarlet Hand. *Petroglyphs in Petroglyph Punch is in The Secret Of Shadow Ranch. *Eustacia, mentioned by Jane is in The Final Scene. *The Cameo pendant on Betty's shirt is Ellie's ring in The Secret Of Shadow Ranch. *"Allez bye-bye" was said in Treasure In The Royal Tower (by Jauques) and later in Danger By Design (by Heather). * The Picture of Linda in her room is in the magazine in Stay Tuned For Danger. *Doll in Jane's hope chest is the same doll head in a box in Message In A Haunted Mansion. *The Pot behind Mrs. Drake in the Conservatory is the same one from The Secret Of Shadow Ranch. *Right as rain (said by Jane about Alan's computer) was said by Holt from Danger On Deception Island. *SPOILER: The Lever-pulling order is BAD CADEE, as in Caddy from Danger On Deception Island. Category:Games